Royal Valentine
by Lady Maeror
Summary: Cassie knows she's not an expert on Valentine's Day, and is even more upset when her plans fall to ruin. Horace however, knows a thing or two about the holiday traditions and is willing to lend a hand in educating Araluen's Crown Princess.
1. Royal Valentine

**Author's Note:**

Hello! This is my Valentine's gift for my readers :)

It is not set in any of my stories, in fact it's a stand alone, set somewhere after Book 4 but before Book 7 (which I think is Book 5 -.-)

Despite how it sounds, if you keep on reading you'll find I'm still very much the mad Cassie/Horace shipper that I am. I also wanted to do some more Cassie/Duncan, so here's a little bit to satisfy myself.

Feeling like some quotes! Some are to do with the story, other's are a bit more ambiguous and I just chucked them in because I liked them :3

I also bombed out on the title, so unimaginative.

As if I own RA... all that jazz.

Please read and review! :)

* * *

**Royal Valentine**

* * *

'_It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel.__'_

_- Author Unknown_

* * *

King Duncan, in a rare moment of peace, walked along one of the many paths surrounding the gardens of Castle Araluen with his mind at ease.

The sun glowed weakly behind the clouds and the sky wasn't exactly clear, but he relished the fact that it wasn't snowing.

Upon finding one of his favourite and more secluded gardens, he was mildly surprised to find his daughter, no doubt hiding from her guards.

"Cassie?"

The Princess glanced up, her bright green eyes wide. "Dad?"

Duncan came to sit beside her, admiring the faint carven work on the outdoor chair. He could tell from her voice and her posture that she wasn't in her usual mood.

"Something wrong?" He asked casually.

"No, not really." She answered, a little too quickly. Realising she couldn't pull a hood over her father's eyes, Cassie sighed heavily. "Okay, there is something. But you can't laugh."

Curious, Duncan nodded solemnly. "Promise."

"I wanted to come up with a good idea for St. Valentines. But, well I'm a Princess. There isn't much _I_ can do."

"Is it for Will?"

She jumped slightly and her face ran pink.

Duncan sighed. "I know, don't worry." He petted her back gently.

Ever since she had been captured and learnt to survive on her own alongside him, she'd constantly pestered him, desperate to come up with ideas for him to visit Castle Araluen. Duncan wasn't sure if it was a lost cause. He didn't know the young Ranger that well, especially in that matter. He just hoped if it wasn't going to work, his daughter would realise it before she hurt herself.

"You could always invite him here for dinner." He suggested.

Cassie shook her head stubbornly. Her blonde hair was beginning to grow back, though it would be a while before it reached its former length. "St. Valentines is a tradition. I don't want to flaunt my money or power. It's for making treasures and gifts for those you care about. And I don't know how to do anything but sew."

King Duncan would've apologised, but he really didn't see much of a benefit of the Crown Princess knowing how to make love notes or trinkets.

"Well, how about strolls around these gardens? No Fiefs rival them. Or horse riding? You two could always practise you're weaponry skills." He went on, hoping to cheer her up somehow. "None of those involve money, really."

Cassie brightened, her eyes round and hopeful. "Do you think that'll work?"

Duncan smiled. "Your mother and I used to spend our time together doing those kinds of things."

"Oh thank you dad!" She exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "I better go send a letter then, shouldn't I?"

The King chuckled softly.

On a last thought, she bit her lip and smiled sheepishly. "Uh, this is alright with you, isn't it?"

"One Valentines date is fine with me." He assured her.

Cassie grinned and bid him farewell, before rushing off to prepare her new plan.

King Duncan watched her go with a small smile on his face.

* * *

More than a week before St. Valentines, Cassie got hold of Crowley and requested to use one of his carrier pigeons for faster travel.

The Ranger was unable to refuse her as she was the Princess, but saw no harm in it anyway. However she didn't budge an inch about what exactly she was using the pigeons for.

For good measure, she ordered him not to open the reply letter (if there was one) until she had or said otherwise. Although he was terribly curious, Crowley promised to do as he was ordered and sent the message off on its way.

Not even twenty minutes after the pigeon had been released and Cassandra began to have doubts.

_What if the letter wasn't appealing?_

She bit her lip, drawing blood in her unease.

She'd spent a good part of the morning designing it. After multiple attempts and a lot of scrap efforts, she had finally come up with something she saw as being substantial.

The letter had been addressed directly to Will so Halt wouldn't pry, and read:

"_Dear Will, _

_I hope you're alright and training hasn't been too tough since we returned. You may or may not know that St. Valentine's is coming up and I would like to invite you to Castle Araluen for the weekend. My father looks forward to seeing you as well for dinner with us. Please reply through a carrier pigeon so we can prepare accordingly._

_Signed, Evanlyn."_

Cassie had tried her best not to sound like she were demanding him to turn up, but at the same time she realised she might have been too casual with her offer.

Her hands rubbed her eyes tiredly, knowing now all she could do was wait a few days until a bird returned.

* * *

The reply didn't arrive until mere days before St. Valentines.

Cassie had taken the absence of reply as simple agreement, perhaps Will was on his way to make the time to get there? After all it was a good three days ride to Castle Araluen from Redmont Fief.

She was relaxing on her desk in her room, her arms spread across it as her head used it as a pillow. Her golden hair cascaded around her like a halo and she was near to falling asleep when she heard a faint knock at her door.

Bidding the person entry, she glanced up to find one of her maids.

"My Lady, the Ranger Crowley told me to inform you that there is a message here for you."

Cassie blinked groggily. "Oh, okay, thank you for that. I'll be right there."

The maid bowed and left.

It suddenly hit her: she had an answer!

Leaping up and suddenly feeling dizzy, she decided to wait for a bit so her body adjusted. Once she was well balanced, she tried to brush out the crinkles in her dress and then dashed from the room.

Crowley was more than surprised to see the Crown Princess practically tear around the corner, and almost run into him as a consequence.

"Whoa, what's the hurry?" He asked her jokingly. Like Halt, he had gotten in the habit of not using a formal title for her. Cassie either didn't mind or simply never took notice.

"There's a bird for me?" She asked breathlessly.

Crowley frowned. "No, not a bird. A letter."

"A letter?" She asked disbelievingly. No wonder it had taken so longer to arrive.

The Corps Commandant nodded and handed her over a piece of folded parchment. It carried Halt's seal, since Will wasn't yet a fully-fledged Ranger.

She stood for a moment, studying the letter. She was barely aware of Crowley's eyes on her.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she thanked the Ranger and decided she wanted to open it in peace.

Cassie barely noticed the guards that saluted her or the maids and servants that bowed or curtseyed, her gaze was trained on the small letter within her hand. Her brain itched for her to open it.

Once she arrived at her room, she shut the door and realised her heart was beating rapidly. With sudden nervousness, she couldn't bring herself to open it.

"Ugh, I'm so hopeless." She muttered.

There had been numerous times since Skandia when Will had turned her down. Why would she think today was any different?

Feeling terribly cowardly, Cassandra stuffed the letter into her dress pocket and vowed to open it later; when she was truly ready.

* * *

King Duncan was startled to find the Princess once again hiding in the Castle gardens.

"Cassie, is this becoming a bad habit of yours?" He called out chidingly, but he smiled to show her he meant no harm in his words.

She was staring at nothing. He frowned, realising not all was well with his daughter. As he sat beside her, he came to a conclusion on what her problem was.

"Is this to do with the young Ranger again?" He asked gently.

Cassie finally seemed to recognise him. She slumped, letting her hands support her head.

"I got a letter back from him, it came yesterday." She admitted quietly.

"Oh, what did it say?"

"I don't know. I haven't opened it."

"Cassie! St. Valentine's is tomorrow! How would you plan out tomorrow with less than the afternoon?"

The Princess looked at him with such a sad expression that Duncan let his disappointment lie low for the moment. It's not that he wanted to encourage her to peruse relationships, but it wasn't in her nature to simply give up.

"Here," the King held out his hand. "I'll read it to you."

Cassie hesitated. If there was something endearing to her in there, did she want her dad to read it? She shook her head violently. If she believed something like that was in there, why was she scared to read it?

Reluctantly, she pulled the paper from her pocket and handed it over.

Duncan didn't waste a moment to tear the seal. He made sure not to let her see it.

Giving it a once over with his eyes, he cleared his throat.

"_Dear Evanlyn_," he paused at the unusual name before realising it was easier for Will to refer to her as that, "_I don't doubt that it would be a good day to spend together, however I have to decline due to already having plans for that day in particular. Please send my regards to your father. I'm sorry I won't be able to see either of you. Signed, Will._"

"Cassie?" Duncan encouraged, after not hearing a response from her.

The Princess sighed heavily. "Sorry dad, it's alright, really. I sort of knew he was going to say that anyway."

"He does sound genuinely sorry for missing out."

Cassie laughed bitterly. "Yeah right. 'Plans for that day in particular,' I bet that courier has a hold of him."

"And if she does?" Duncan knew he had to ask it, even if it would hurt her. "Do you resent her so much you would deny Will's happiness?"

She sobered, her eyes closing briefly. "Of course not."

The King held out his hand, hauling his daughter to her feet.

"Come on." He ordered.

Knowing it wouldn't do well to sulk; Cassie accepted his hand and stood ungracefully. King Duncan wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he led her back into Castle Araluen.

As they passed the Grand Hall, Duncan told her comfortingly, "Don't forget, St. Valentines is also about family and friends. We can spend it together, like we do on your birthday."

She made nodded glumly and followed him from the room.

Once the royals were gone, one person turned around in confusion, temporarily abandoning his conversation with another knight.

Horace frowned and folded his arms, his mind deep in thought.

* * *

'_If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were.__'_

_- Kahlil Gibran_

* * *

**A/N:**

Are they pigeons or doves? Far too lazy to look it up. I don't care if I'm wrong. You get the message.

And yeah, Cassie did like Will,_ a lot_, even I can admit that. I wanted to get into her mind frame between the books. At this point, Horace is one of closest friends, (check Book 4 if you want) but she's still hung up over Will pretty much until Book 7. But not Book 5 +6, argh how confusing.

It's not a oneshot, there are more chapters. I'll release either another tonight or the whole thing tomorrow.

- Love Mae.


	2. Valentine's Day

**Author's Note:**

If anyone has any good ideas for chapter titles, I can rename them xD

I think these are soo corny, but I used up so much effort in the story the rest just kinda was done without thought.

Horace isn't blind! If you read Book 6/7 he gets rather defensive/suspicious whenever Will brings up Cassie.

Thanks for the encouragement so far! I posted it early because I was impatient and I wanted to test the waters a bit on responses in case I needed to make changes to how angsty Cassie was :)

* * *

**Valentine's Day**

* * *

'_One of the hardest things in life is watching the person you love, love someone else.__'_

_- Unknown Author_

* * *

When Cassie awoke the next day, she felt a thrill of excitement run through her.

But her mind quickly fell back into place and she decided there wasn't anything different about today than any other day.

Huffing angrily, she turned over and buried her face into her pillow.

Unfortunately she was the Princess and so even if her plans had fallen to pieces around her, she still had to make an effort to get up.

She called her maid in to set a bath going, while she went to find an outfit.

Unenthusiastically, she finished washing herself, dressing properly and then combing her hair until it shone so no one would be able to begrudge her for slacking off.

It's not like her father would care, he knew she was boyish at heart, but there were others at court that waited for royalty to slip up and she wasn't going to let them get the upper hand when she already felt like hiding in her room.

Breakfast was very uneventful. Cassie was well aware that her father had one eye trained on her, despite the fact that it looked like he was heavily engrossed in reports.

"So, have you decided on something we can do?" King Duncan asked conversationally as he sipped his cup of coffee.

Cassie washed her mouth clean with a sip of water before answering. "No, I think I'll just spend time in my room, perhaps visit the library."

Duncan didn't seem satisfied with her answer, but let the matter fall nonetheless. She would cope with the day, just like she did with anything that didn't turn out right.

Cassandra stood and excused herself.

* * *

As she neared her quarters, she let her head fall as she studied the ground. From this angle, she had never really taken in the patterns on one of the rugs that adorned the hallway to her chambers.

Her head snapped to attention when she felt a pair of strong arms grasp her shoulder and prevent her from moving.

"Wha-?"

Horace smiled. "Cassie! It didn't look like you were going to stop there." He greeted cheerfully.

She blinked in surprise. "What are you doing so far from the Knight's Quarters?"

"Looking for you actually."

"Oh?"

Horace released her, his expression calming as his smile faded. He never was one to show too much emotion, she thought.

"I had an idea for today, but uh, please hear me out first." He told her.

Curious, she nodded for him to continue.

"Well, don't be mad, but I accidentally overheard your conversation last night." He explained.

Cassie felt herself stiffen and she said icily, "Oh so you know about that then?"

It wouldn't have taken much effort to figure out who she had been talking about.

Horace decided she was simply angry at herself and let her remark slide. "It's not like I had much choice. I was surprised King Duncan or yourself didn't notice me."

She realised she was being unfair and deflated. After all, it was hardly in Horace's nature to eavesdrop. "Right, sorry. Please go on."

Nodding slightly, Horace turned to look out the window. She could barely see his expression.

"Will and Alyss... well they've been friends for a long time. Sometimes I can't tell if it's more than friendship. Will hasn't said anything to me." He told her quietly. "Also, he's very shy. If he liked her, he wouldn't do anything about it any time soon."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say Horace." Cassie confessed, frowning as she tried to discover where the conversation was headed.

He turned back to her and smiled. "Sorry. I meant to say; you still have a chance. That's if you're willing to try."

Cassandra felt her face grow pink, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "I doubt it; I don't think I've had a chance since the start." She turned away, her gaze falling on the window, to the view outside. "Besides, what can I possibly do? I'm three days away from him."

The knight before her shrugged. "Today is in celebration of St. Valentines, but it doesn't mean you can't spend time or invite him to Castle Araluen any other day."

"No, you're right. But I wouldn't really know what to do on a day like that."

Horace smiled. "I can show you, if you want."

She glanced back into his honest face and must have looked as if she were going to protest, because he went on, "Maybe not every year I had someone special to spend the day with, but I had my friends. We always made each other something, I liked to carve things out of wood, Jenny made food, and George wrote things... they weren't love admissions or anything, but it's better than nothing, right?"

Cassie bit her lip. "Well, that sounds good, but why would you help me like this?" She asked softly.

Horace simply shrugged once again. "I'm _your_ friend aren't I? And it's kind of sad to see you giving up. I thought you were stronger than that."

"Horace!" She scolded playfully and hit him lightly on the arm.

He laughed. "Fine fine, don't accept my help then."

Cassie retracted her arm carefully. "Okay, I'm sorry. I would like some help, actually."

Horace accepted the apology with a curt nod. He knew it wasn't easy for Cassie to admit what she didn't excel at, that's why he had gone about offering the way he did.

She seemed forlorn, so he sighed and tapped her shoulder, regaining her attention.

"Well come on then." He encouraged, well aware that he was ordering his Princess around.

But it seemed today he would be her teacher, for she made no protest against him.

* * *

Cassie's curiosity deepened when he led her towards the kitchens.

"Horace?"

"I know," he replied, "trust me."

She didn't have much choice but to follow him.

He led her to one of the smaller kitchens. It only had a few stoves and ovens as well as open fires. She was by no means an expert on cooking food, but she reasoned from the fact that nobody was there, that it was used in busier times or at least for the dinner preparations.

The knight stopped and he folded his arms, as if assessing his surroundings.

"I've just thought of something." He admitted.

"What?"

Horace turned to smile sheepishly. "I never asked if you were okay doing commoner things."

"I survived in Skandia for a good few months on my own, hunting and cooking. I doubt this is any more degrading." She answered wryly.

"Right." He answered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Well if it doesn't bother you, I thought I could show you how to make some pies and perhaps some sweet biscuits. I know Will loves Jenny's pies, and even if it's not made by _her_, it's still her recipe."

"Horace," she asked suspiciously, "did you prepare all this specifically?"

He laughed, the sound echoing strangely off the stone walls. "No, I've made them with her a fair amount of times; I guess the recipe has just stuck. Honestly, this was a thought I just had last night."

Cassie relaxed. "Alright then, what first?"

"First you can wash your hands, and if you wouldn't mind, start hunting around for some flour, water and salt." He ordered.

She nodded and went about her task, a determined mask set on her face.

"I'm going to see the chef to find some meat; I don't know where he keeps it. I think a chicken pie would be easiest to create." He told her and when she nodded in reply, he wandered off.

On her own, she realised it had never occurred to her to try and ask for cooking lessons from the Head Chef. Not to say it was totally acceptable of a Princess, but as a hobby, it was probably better than using her sling on unsuspecting guards.

_Will likes pies?_ She thought absently.

Perhaps there was more about the young Ranger that she didn't know. She could turn to Horace for advice; after all, he was a goldmine of information. Instantly she felt bad at ever thinking that. Horace was helping her out of the good in his heart and she had no right to abuse that.

Besides, when she saw Will again, she could ask him herself.

Horace returned and it was almost comical to see him holding a few chicken breasts within his hand.

"I have the ingredients you listed." She told him as he placed down the meat and set about finding a pie tin.

"Great, now we just need these as well..."

It wasn't long after when they had everything they needed, (Cassie was shocked that so little went into making something so tasty). The pastry had been rolled out, made by Cassie herself, while Horace had taken care of the filling. He'd also picked up a few spices and tricks to add from spending time with Halt, and hoped the meal would taste better because of it.

"Right, so it gets put together like this." He instructed, spooning the mixture into the pan which was lined with the pastry. "And then do this." Then he took a freshly rolled out stretch of pastry and spread it across the top and then proceeded to use a knife to clean the edges so it was neat.

"Now, does that look like a pie?" He asked her, grinning.

Cassie nodded. She felt a thrum of satisfaction run through her. She had managed to help make something she could use in future for a day like today. And it was surprisingly simple and fast to make.

"Unfortunately it takes a while to cook," Horace told her reluctantly. "But in the meantime we can set about making those biscuits?" He suggested. He wasn't too sure how she had felt after that small lesson. She could be happy with what they had done already.

But she turned around to smile in return. "Sounds great."

The biscuits also turned out to be relatively easy. They were sweet and crumbly, only a slight variation of the pastry they had used. This way, Horace had explained, she could think of it as remembering two recipes in one.

The biscuits would take longer to cook and Cassie had suggested asking one of the kitchen hands to make sure they didn't burn. While in the meantime they would wait for the pies to finish.

"Now I think learning to cook would be a good skill to have." She shyly admitted.

"You learnt how to cook on your own though didn't you?" Horace asked casually, obviously referring to her time in Skandia.

"Yes, but not like this. That was survival. This... well I'm sure this isn't far off what they serve here."

At her statement, Horace chuckled lightly. "Well after this, what would you like to do? The rest is mostly telling you about what he would like and what you could do. There isn't that much point to showing you."

Cassie glanced out the window and admired the fact that it was a reasonably clear day in winter. "We could have a picnic, that way we could eat the pies so they don't waste and keep discussing this."

When she looked back, he seemed so surprised by her request.

"Or if you had something else planned..."

"No," he told her quickly. "That's a good idea, actually."

Silence arose between them and Horace took it as an opportunity to check on the food.

"Ah," he called out. "They look good, see?"

He showed them too her, his hands wrapped tight with a cloth to protect himself from the heated metal. They did indeed look good. The pastry had risen and cooked to a perfect golden hue and she realised her mouth was beginning to water.

"I'll go ask someone to bring a basket full of the right things while you find a way to wrap that up." She told him, smiling slightly. "Of course I'll probably need some sort of retinue of guards."

Horace nodded. "Of course."

He watched her leave, forgetting that he still held the pie. As his grip loosened, the cloth edged away and only a bare layer was keeping the heat from his skin. The knight cursed as it suddenly occurred to him that he was burning. In his frustration, he almost dropped the freshly made food.

Cassie returned as he set the cause of his troubles onto the bench, with a maid in tow. "Horace, what did you do?" She asked, her voice becoming rather high.

He stiffened in surprise, for the moment contemplating hiding his hand. But after seeing the determined look on her face, he held it out, showing the small blister that had begun to form.

Clicking her tongue at the sight of it, Cassie went to the corner of the room and filled a small glass with some fresh water from the bucket. When she brought it over, she urged him to place his finger in.

"Cold water is really the only thing that will help." She told him, although he did know that.

Once it had cooled down, she pulled it out. The maid silently handed a small piece of cloth from her apron and Cassie used it to bandage the finger.

"Sorry, wasn't thinking." He ground out, hissing as she pressed a little too hard on the sore flesh.

When she was done, she thanked the maid for the picnic preparations and also the small cloth.

She failed to notice the slightest of blushes creep onto the knight's face; instead she straightened and put the freshly made pie into the basket.

"I've decided if we stay close enough to the walls, perhaps where the gardens are surrounded by castle grounds, we can avoid having to find a party of knights to escort me. After all, you can defend me if need be." She told him.

Horace nodded, his thoughts having left his head sometime around when he had burnt himself.

"All set then?"

"I think so." He answered.

She smiled and beckoned, leading the way out of the castle kitchens.

* * *

Consequently, Cassie led him to the same garden she had spent a lot of her spare time in within the last few weeks.

Instantly, she recalled the conversations with her dad from not too long ago.

She sighed, her emotions bare on her face, causing the knight beside her to pause in concern.

"Are you alright?"

Cassandra blinked. She hadn't meant to be so obvious. "Yes, I am."

Horace studied her for a few more seconds before deciding not to press her. She could almost feel his mental shrug.

A large oak shrouded the rest of the garden, its great canopy of leaves providing shade even though the sun wasn't bright.

"Here's perfect." She exclaimed, more to distract herself than anything.

Horace took the rug that was packed and unfolded it, since the grass wasn't too soft to sit on. Early morning dew also still resided in the crisp air. They settled themself, the basket set between them. Cassie huddled within her cloak, wishing it were better weather. Horace unfolded the pie, taking out a kitchen knife to quarter it. They had no plates, but instead used smaller cloths to hold it.

Cassie bit into hers and moaned with satisfaction. "This is so _good_." She told him eagerly.

"I'll tell Jenny you like her recipe." He answered, before biting into his own piece.

It didn't take long to demolish the food between them. Cassie ate daintily, while Horace made sure she was full, (in a rare gesture of thoughtfulness when it came to food,) before finishing off the rest.

It was too cold to stay out for long, so they didn't carry drinks or anything else with them.

Cassie sighed in pleasure, letting her back use the tree as support. "Do you think Will would like those biscuits?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Horace hesitated for a moment, only realising they were back onto that topic. Hiding his disappointment, he shrugged. "He likes a lot of sweet things. He had a tendency when we were children of stealing sweets from Master Chub."

Cassie giggled, the sound fresh and melodious in the crisp afternoon air.

She sobered and then kept silent.

She wanted to ask him more questions, even on simple commoner traditions. She wasn't ignorant, and she _wanted_ to know. It wasn't really her fault she hadn't been able to experience a lot of it as a child.

Cassie glanced at the knight and decided instead to ask something different.

"Horace?"

"Mhm?"

"I know you heard about what I was saying, but still, you didn't have to go to any effort like this. I mean, it wasn't your responsibility." She whispered quietly.

Horace turned to face her, frowning at her words. "I know that."

"Then why?"

The question hung in the air. Horace seemed to be finding the right answer to give, while she shamelessly watched him think about it.

"I guess," he began, "it's because we're friends. And through all we've been together, that's how we've survived right?"

She nodded.

"Right now, on a day like this, you're probably the closest thing I have to family. I mean, I have no parents, and all my other friends are days away."

Somehow, the way he said it didn't align his words with how he spoke about Alyss or Jenny. It was different. She was somehow 'family', but also not at the same time.

"That sounds terribly confusing." Cassie breathed, pulling the cloak around her further.

Horace seemed unbothered by the cold. Instead, he smiled in her direction.

"It's not, it's quite simple. If you're happy, then I'm happy."

He said it so calmly and honestly, that she didn't doubt he believed what he said. She also took notice of how blue his eyes were. In that moment, she felt a small amount of heat rush to her cheeks and was glad he had already turned away to study something off in the distance.

"See, something like this, Will would like. He's always liked trees, though part of the reason was my fault, I guess..." Horace began and continued on, while she only half listened.

Cassie began to think about what he had said. He had paid her some high compliments, simply about how important she was to him. Secretly, she felt warm from his comments.

And she thought; he had gone to so much effort simply to see her smile, it would only be fair if she repaid the kindness.

"Horace?" She asked, interrupting his speech.

He paused, realising she hadn't been paying attention.

"My father and I are having a private dinner tonight; we usually do on St. Valentines. Would you like to join us?"

Horace seemed to blink owlishly for the moment, as if wondering where her request had come from. He recovered quickly, a shy smile coming to his face. "Uh, sure Cassie. Thanks." He replied.

She nodded, satisfied with his answer.

Cassie wasn't certain, but she had the inkling that it wasn't completely enjoyable for him to list off the things she wanted to know, especially in regards to his friend.

And after seeing that one genuine smile on his face she was almost sure of it.

* * *

'_You've spent your whole life running and running, trying to catch up with something that has never been there for you. And all you've done is go farther and farther away from the precious love that's been waiting for you all the time.__'_

_- Unknown Author._

* * *

**A/N:**

Nope, not the end, another chapter to go!

I ummed and ahhhed about the last few sentences, I hope it makes sense.

I'm currently writing the last chapter, it won't be out for a few hours _at least_. Since I have a lot of work to do today, it might even come out tonight (err I think like 3am for Americans...) or tomorrow.

- Love Mae.


	3. Valentine's Knight

**Author's Note:**

Okay... so yeah various factors have interrupted my writing. The worst is that I've fallen into a self-depression over many things in life, (although fan fiction is not one of them). Just having family troubles and a series of bad days that have just pulled me down, so yeah. That's my long-winded excuse.

But on a positive note, I love this site and the people, who write in this fandom, so please, feel free to PM if I'm taking far too long to update. Most likely it will kick me into gear and I appreciate that :) My updates may be getting longer but I shall never fade!

Anyway:

Anyone reading about the upcoming Flanagan books? 2 more for the RA series :D And a new one called _The Brotherband ____that is about a half Araluen and half Skandian boy :D Sounds exciting____._

* * *

**Valentine's Knight**

* * *

'_You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.'_

_-__ Dr. Seuss_

* * *

If King Duncan was surprised that he suddenly had another dinner guest to entertain, it didn't show. Instead he heartily welcomed Horace to their table with a cheery smile and twinkling emerald eyes.

He wasn't entirely sure what had happened during the day that had managed to return Cassie to her normal self, but he was almost certain it had something to do with the young knight.

Duncan had always liked Horace. He was of course one of the prime supporters of knighting the boy when he hadn't completed the standard amount of years needed in Battleschool. And Horace had proven himself with his loyalty to his country and friends. Duncan hadn't known him for very long, but he had earned his respect, which was no easy achievement.

Cassandra had changed from her casual dress to a slightly more formal version, set in green to show off her eyes. It was cut modestly and suited the cool weather.

Not to say Horace hadn't spent time around Cassandra and the formalities due to her rank, but he could count the amount of times he had talked privately to the King on his right hand alone.

All in all, he was rather nervous to be seated with the two royals. He knew he was not a simple commoner anymore, but still he felt he would be scrutinized and judged for any mistakes he made.

Needless to say, by the main course, Horace was feeling as if the very air itself was constricting around him.

Cassandra led the conversation, her topics leaping from higher class matters, to the Corps and even to horses. King Duncan contributed heartily, laughing often and seeming to genuinely appreciate the alone time with his daughter. And Horace... well he only answered when he was directly asked.

It seemed to have become aware to him that in his brief time at Castle Araluen, he really wasn't sure how to act politely in front of the King. His greatest desire was to launch into the main course, but was utterly confused by the amount of forks and knives.

He glanced across the table to the Princess, and found Cassandra watching him; her eyes seemed to shadow her disappointment.

The young knight swallowed carefully, glumly choosing a fork at random (he supposed the biggest would do?) and silently tucked into the roast before him.

Cassandra sighed inwardly.

Horace looked _so_ out of place.

That wasn't what bothered her though. She knew he was simple in his ways and appreciated him for it, it was refreshing to have him around instead of some of the other pompous fools she was told to associate with.

But she had been so sure of her hunch, that maybe, just maybe he had wanted to spend some time with her. In doing so she had discovered that deep down, she liked the idea of him liking her. It was as if she had been so preoccupied with her feelings for Will, that she couldn't possibly have any feelings for other people.

And now it seemed he was desperate to finish their dinner and run back to Redmont.

She bit back her growing despair and decided to move the topic towards her swords practise; it was something that always seemed to cheer her up after all.

King Duncan also played along with his daughter's tirade of conversation, which hadn't taken him long to catch onto. She was far from the intellectual and fun discussions they usually concocted, instead resorting to idle and frivolous topics.

Which meant immediately that her mind was elsewhere.

But for a person whose sole purpose was to tell others what to do, Duncan wisely chose to let his daughter sort out her own troubles.

He just hoped she figured it out soon. Else he would probably have to be having discussions with Araluen's two young heroes.

* * *

Dessert came and went, consisting of creamy custard with a light, airy sponge cake.

Horace was absolutely certain that he would have enjoyed it on any other night. As it was he ate it as fast and as smoothly as possible (because honestly he couldn't not eat it), before thanking the King and Cassie.

Duncan sat straight and crossed his arms. "I hope you don't usually act like this at other dinners." He commented mildly.

Horace almost jumped from his seat, raising his eyes to reflect his guilty expression.

The King sighed. "I was joking. Look, I understand that at Battleschool you weren't really taught how to handle a situation like this, but next time, just relax. It'll go easier that way." He suggested kindly.

The young knight frowned slightly as he absorbed the advice. Eventually he nodded firmly.

"I'll try. Thank you your majesty." He answered with a tone much stronger than he had managed the whole night.

Horace seemed to have more confidence as he quietly announced that he had forgotten that he was supposed to see Sir Richard earlier that day.

Thanking both royals once again, he stood and excused himself.

King Duncan watched him go with a curious gaze.

He was aware that Cassie probably knew that he had seen through her ploy, but for the second time that night, he simply complimented on the evening and bade her goodnight.

* * *

Cassie had watched her father carefully but it seemed he was content to let her sort out her own problems.

She ordered a small glass of water to refresh herself from the sweet dessert and thanked the maid when it arrived.

Sighing heavily, she thought about Horace's reaction to having dinner with her.

Was it really just nerves? Or had she overstepped a line between them that wasn't meant to be crossed?

Either way, when it came down to it, she realised she hadn't even thanked him for the day. And even if she misinterpreted his feelings, he had still cheered her up and even given her advice selflessly.

It was a bold idea, it was already very late and she had no idea how long he would be meeting Sir Richard for. It also occurred to her that he might want a break from seeing her, opting instead to sort it out tomorrow.

His voice floated into her thoughts.

'_And it's kind of sad to see you giving up. I thought you were stronger than that.'_

Cassandra made her decision.

* * *

Horace left Richard's office with a hearty exhale. The man knew how to keep him from his sleep that was for sure.

Horace had completely forgotten that he was supposed to help input ideas for the first years training. His day with Cassie had rearranged his priorities temporarily, but now he remembered that he was a knight and had certain duties he had to stick to. Richard had been surprised at his lateness and gave him even more reports as punishment. Startlingly, knights were required to help with the Battlemaster and sometimes even Baron, as well as doing physical exercises and other courtly formalities. (And nobody liked doing reports.)

As he left the office, he realised how tired he was, from all his planning the night before. He had also woken extra early to catch the Princess in advance. Oh how the start of the day seemed aeons away now.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, momentarily halting in the antechamber.

Deciding it was better to simply go and sleep off the day's events; he straightened and opened the door.

It was an understatement to say he was shocked, when he found Cassandra waiting for him outside.

The halls had gotten much cooler, so she was wearing a cloak around her and for a moment he swore she could have been asleep with her heavy lidded eyes.

She groggily stirred and then recognised him, the bright spark of life returning to her eyes as she woke herself up.

"Oh Horace, there you are!" She exclaimed.

He wondered if she was trying to hide the fact that she had obviously been waiting for him.

"Cassie, what are you doing here, isn't it late?" He asked her.

She hopped on the balls of her feet, smiling widely. Inwardly she realised being tired was affecting her; that moment when you became super-happy from a lack of sleep.

"I came to thank you for today, well maybe yesterday. In all likelihood it's past midnight." She admitted.

"Oh, well it was no problem." He replied and let his gaze fall to the floor. "I guess you can put today's lessons to the test at some point right? I mean if they were helpful. "

"Well I think they were highly informative. So I did really want to thank you, I will definitely be using my new cooking skills at some point." She answered enthusiastically.

The slightest of frowns crossed his face as he imagined her inviting Will to spend the day together. He pushed the thought away angrily, who was he to begrudge her or Will's own happiness?

Putting his emotions to one side, he smiled weakly and suggested lightly, "Biscuits like that keep you know, you could always make them before you venture to Redmont and visit or something."

Noticing his inner conflict, Cassie smiled knowingly. "Perhaps." She answered vaguely.

The knight was taken aback by her expression and looked visibly confused.

He wasn't one to read people easily, Cassie remembered. There wasn't much point toying with him. "Here." She told him, holding out a small present.

It was wrapped in blue cloth with a neat bow holding it together.

Horace stared at it, dumbfounded.

"Well, take it."

"Uh..." He replied intelligently, as he gingerly stretched his hand out to take the present from her. "What is this?" He eventually asked.

"Happy St. Valentines Horace." Cassie answered, her tone significantly quieter and more sincere than before.

He was slow to understand what she was saying before the slightest of smiles touched his face.

"It's not Valentines anymore." He pointed out.

"Let's pretend it is." She replied quickly, well aware that her face was probably getting redder by the second.

She was glad to see Horace had turned his attention back to his gift so he couldn't see her cheeks.

He opened it swiftly, pulling the ribbon to release the cloth. He gasped when he realised there wasn't anything there, glancing up at her accusingly. Cassie rolled her eyes. Thinking he had obviously missed something, Horace went back to looking at his 'gift'.

Then it dawned on him that _the cloth was the gift._

At closer inspection it had been expertly cut, and really, the blue was so mesmerizing. As he inspected the inside, he realised there his name embroidered neatly in one corner. It had been done in gold cotton, a commodity only used by nobles.

"Did you-?"

"It's not much, I know. But it's at least something I know how to do." Cassie responded.

"I..." he paused and then smiled, "Thank you Cassie."

"I was thinking that it would be a good idea to have a picnic someday soon. In payment for today's help, I could give you a rundown on castle formalities. If it would help, that is." She suggested, attempting to be casual about it.

Horace blinked owlishly, appearing even more surprised than was humanly possible for the evening.

Recovering slightly, he asked, "I would like that. But, why?"

"Why, what?"

Horace laughed. "I'm not sure how fun it would be giving lessons to someone like me, so I want to know why you would do it."

Cassie shuffled her feet on the tiled floor. "I saw how uncomfortable you were tonight. I thought at first you just thought you'd spend too much time in my company. I can't change my rank, really, but I thought it would make you happy."

He laughed again, the sound echoing richly through the halls. "Thanks for going to so much trouble for me."

She shrugged. "If you're happy, I'm happy." She answered tranquilly.

"Strange logic."

"I didn't make it up." She defended hotly.

Horace sobered, suddenly taking interest in the fact that she had gone the slightest shade of pink.

Silence descended and for the moment they simply stood, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

Then suddenly the door behind them swung open.

Sir Richard appeared with signs of fatigue heavy in his gaze as he registered the presence of two people outside his office.

"Your highness? Horace?" He asked them.

Both jumped like guilty teenagers.

But after analysing the situation, Sir Richard merely gave them warning looks before trotting off without a word, (although Horace fretted inwardly).

Cassandra realised how inappropriate it was for her to be idling in a hallway at who knows what hour of the night/morning with one of her knights.

"I should go to bed." She whispered, for some reason believing they needed to be quiet.

"Yeah, same here." He responded.

"I did really enjoy today, I mean yesterday." She amended with a smile. "Thank you."

Horace nodded. "It's okay, any time."

A few more minutes passed before Cassandra made up her mind.

She stepped forward to envelop him in a hug, taking comfort in the fact that his arms encircled her protectively.

He was the first to let go, letting his arms drop to the side after what only felt like seconds.

"You better go; you wouldn't want the next person to be your father." He told her jokingly.

They both laughed quietly as they stepped a part.

Even as he said goodnight and went in his own direction, Cassandra was aware of a new reluctance to see him leave.

She wasn't sure exactly where her feelings lay. But then she supposed she didn't need to.

It would be hard to shrug off her affection for Will, (or even pursue, who knew?).

But it was becoming increasingly obvious that Horace summoned a spark inside her that made her enjoy his presence more and more.

She rather liked the idea the more she thought about it.

* * *

'_You know when you have found your prince because you not only have a smile on your face but in your heart as well.'_

_- Unknown Author_

* * *

**A/N:**

Before anyone asks, YES the title is a pun. A bad one. Deal with it.

I.e. Horace's gift is like some fancy handkerchief. Hey, it was quick and easy to make in like a few hours.

Not quite love and not quite an admission, but perhaps the beginning?

I'm just glad I finally was able to post this chapter. And it's 11pm and I have a terribad cold so I can't be bothered reading over for mistakes. Bleh.

- Mae.

___**P.S **I love my reviewers. You guys are the best in the world. I could feel soo crap from a bad day and all the reviews I've gotten lately put a smile on my face. Thank you for your support and praise._


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